Ninja Assassin: Nobu
by ff94
Summary: Eight months since the termination of the Ozunu clan, Raizo and Mika meet again. This time, prolific hackers start turning up dead and the only way to stop them is if Mika and Raizo come to term with their past, present and future. I do not own Ninja Assassin or any of its actors or characters
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my first story on . I really love this movie and it deserves more love. Please let me know what you think.**

 **I do not own Ninja Assassin or any of its characters. **

**Please enjoy.**

* * *

 **8 years before**

Mika stood across a face she knew very well, but the cold expression on it made her shudder to her core. "What do you mean?" she asked the person she once called boyfriend.

"What I said," he told her, rolling his eyes, "we're moving towards a new world. It's our job to erase the mistakes the pigs in charge made."

Mika shook her head. "No, this isn't right," she muttered, "I thought we were exposing the bad guys. We're hurting innocent people, Jack! People with families that have nothing to do with it."

Around them, the people started moving around. People Mika thought of as friends. They were ready to attack er. Jack sighed. "Be reasonable Mika," Jack said, "You can't make a better world without a few casualties."

"So those the patients were just collateral damage?" Mika hissed. Jack stepped closer, looming over her.

"You want out?" he asked, his voice so soft she could barely hear him. Around them, everyone was silent. One could hear a pin drop.

Mika took a deep breath. "I want out."

* * *

Mika read the case file Maslow had thrown away. She couldn't really focus, never mind how much she tried. In eight months, she hadn't been able to sleep. Her mind always shifted between romantic visions of the ninja who had saved her life and night terrors. Absent-mindedly, she let her finger caress the wound on her chest.

She hated herself for thinking that Raizo abandoned her. After all, they weren't even a couple. Bloody hell, she wasn't even sure if they were friends.

Her eye fell on a name in the file that made her heart jump. _Amanda Carr_ , a name she hadn't heard in years. She quickly skimmed the page and cursed more colourful than she ever did. Carr had died, and by the looks of it, it had all the signs of a ninja assassination.

* * *

Razio came from the shadows. Maslow was already waiting for him, but still jumped slightly. "You are damn hard to find," Maslow remarked, masking his earlier scare well. Raizo smirked.

"Comes with the territory," he said, but soon turned serious. "Why have you contacted me?"

Maslow handed him a thick file. "A few days ago, we found a hacker named Amanda Carr dead in a loft in the London Docklands."

"How does this involve me?" Raizo asked, ready to leave again.

"The woman was found with her head sliced clean off. No signs of a struggle." Maslow leaned towards Raizo as if he was fearful of being eavesdropped. Nonsense, of course. If there was anything or anyone present in the room that shouldn't be present, Raizo would've noticed long before the conversation started. "The higher ups think I'm crazy. But I think it's an assassination." Raizo quirked up his eyebrow. "Like we've seen before."

That caught Raizo's attention, but he remained stone-faced. He flipped through the pages. It was executed remarkably well. Though it was the docklands, he understood that it happened in the middle of a room, during a party, but no one saw anything and no one else had died.

Deep down he knew he was going to do it, but not for the reason he should. While his head told him to aid from the shadows, his heart urged him to see Mika again.

Mika...

In all the time they were apart and after all that had happened, he couldn't get her out of his mind. In their short time together, she had become an unmissable part in his life. Sometimes, he could still hear her heart beating. It calmed him when his mind wandered to his time with the Ozunu clan.

"We could bring you in as a consultant," Maslow proposed.

"No records," he said, "I'll take an alias."

"Right," Maslow answered, "so I can count on you." Raizo just simply gazed at him. "Can I also count on you to stay distant from Mika?" For the first time that evening, Raizo betrayed some emotion and Maslow hurriedly threw up his hands. "Look, I've seen you that night on the monitor remember. When we caught you. There was definitely some tension there." Maslow sighed and lit a cigarette in frustration. "I want her to focus on her work and not kill you."

Raizo smiled, but it seemed empty. "She can't kill me."

Maslow laughed, his voice echoing through the entire room. "Obviously you've never seen a woman scorned."

* * *

Mika ran towards the briefing room. She was already late and it didn't help that she had a killer migraine. Suddenly she was stopped in her tracks. The bulky arms of agent Blumenthal obstructed her path in the door. "So, Coretti, I got a free Friday night that I think a night with you would fill up perfectly," he told her and she didn't fight the urge to roll her eyes.

"Blumenthal, I told you before and I'll keep telling you," she said, "I'm not going out with you, even if the sky falls down and the big man upstairs commands me to."

"Blumenthal, Coretti, keep your banter to yourself will you and pay attention," Maslow's voice boomed through the conference room. Mika looked gratefully at Maslow and quickly sat down. "So, as I was saying, before some fucking idiot's hormones got in the way," he continued, staring explicitly at agent Blumenthal, who coloured a fierce red. "To help with the Carr case, we brought in a consultant." Immediately all the agents present groaned, including Mika. Everyone at Europol has had bad experiences with consultants. They were often rude and unprofessional and Mika knew that more often than not, they got themselves in unnecessary danger trying to one-up the agents. "Yeah, yeah, settle down, you asses. I present Yamato Takeru."

It took a while before Mika recognised the man walking in the room. His hair was still as long as she remembered. He wore a suit that clung onto his his athletic body. His gaze examined the room, stopping briefly at her. Her breath got caught in her throat. She felt something filling up that pit in her stomach, but she couldn't decide whether it was happiness or rage. There was just one word on her mind.

 _Raizo._


	2. Chapter 2

Second chapter of my fic. I hope you like it.

 **I do not own Ninja Assassin or any of its characters**

* * *

2.

As soon as the meeting was over, Mika stormed out of the room as fast as she could. She knew Raizo watched her do so, she could feel his eyes on her back. As soon as she reached her office, she locked the door. _As if that would help,_ she laughed emptily.

"Ugh, I can't believe Ryan," she groaned, falling into her chair. "He could've warned me. Could've send me a text. It's not that hard." She sighed. As much as she hated to admit it, he did look good. She groaned again. After a year, this was not how she imagined their reunion.

"He didn't even greet me," she muttered, "not even a nod." Mika didn't know what she expected. Of course he was like this. After all he left her wounded with a large gaping hole in her chest. What made her think that he would be remotely happy about seeing her.

A knock started Mika out of her day dream. Outside stood Maslow and Raizo. Mika quickly hurried towards the door to unlock it. "I have a problem," Maslow started with no introduction, "there has been a mistake at the hotel and none of the other agents will take him." Mika opened her mouth to refuse, but Maslow stopped her before she could begin. "You are the only one who is aware of our... little secret. I can't very well let him stay with Blumenthal."

"And why not? Blumenthal is an ass. And birds of a feather flock together," Mika countered. Maslow cringed and Raizo didn't betray any form of emotion. But after he came over the initial shock, Maslow just stared at her with his detective gaze and Mika caved, to her shame, after only a moment. "Fine, he can stay with me." She scoffed at Raizo and then walked away.

She could just hear Maslow say: "Good luck with her."

* * *

Raizo was just behind her, silent as always. Mika had the urge to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Never, not in a million years, did she think that she would ever invite Raizo in her apartment. Before he left, because he would've just sneaked in, and after because she would've never allowed him. Or so she thought...

Because it was undeniable when he stepped in that she invited him. And that she liked him, as a guest, as much as she would like to make Maslow and Raizo believe otherwise.

Raizo, however, did not notice her inner turmoil. Or pretended not to notice. Knowing him, Mika thought, it was probably the latter. She was so sunken in thought that she didn't realise that Raizo casually was taking the things he needed to make a bed and grabbed himself some water in the process. "I'll that the couch," he said, rudely stopping her train of thought. She didn't immediately answer though, but observed the neatly made couch.

"How did you.. Never mind," Mika muttered, took the file and curled up in the comfortable lounge chair in her room. She started reading it, a twinge of sadness for a girl she once called friend. Her head was clean cut off, and it did happen in the middle of a party. She had a crow's feather placed on her chest and her hand was oddly contorted. It didn't surprise Mika that Carr would've had enemies. Unlike most of the friends she had back then, Carr was from the richest part of London, being the daughter of a software expert, specialised in government security. Not only that, but Mika remembered that Carr had quite a bad personality. She was manipulative, violent and ruthless. Especially as a hacker.

Soon, Mika was so engrossed in the details of the file that she didn't see Raizo standing in the doorway, looking at her. He forgot how determined she was, whether it was tracking down a clan to saving his life. He knew that they needed to talk. He expected that she would come at him, hit him until she could hit no more. He would've allowed it. Instead, she gave him the cold shoulder and he didn't like that. It felt like she had given up on him, that she simply didn't care anymore. And he couldn't deal with that. He refused to give _her_ up.

* * *

When Beth shuffled back in her house, she knew someone was there. A laugh escaped her. Out of all the ways she thought she would die (in a fire, by the hand of an abusive boyfriend, the cancer returning) by ninja was by far the least likely option. "You can come out now," she called out into the shadows. It was silent for minutes, but after a while she could barely hear the tentative footsteps of a single person. Beth was impressed. After her eyes gave out, her already hypersensitive senses picked up even more. But she really had to strain to hear her guest and guessed they were a 'he'.

"You're here to kill me," she said, but no answer came. She shrugged. "Do you mind if I get drunk first? I mean, if I get killed, I'd rather be killed while intoxicated." Still no answer, so she shuffled to the liquor cabinet and pulled out a half a bottle of tequila, a bottle of rum and a box of cheap wine. "So you're a ninja? I've never thought I'd die by the hands of Naruto. I always thought that I'd go per hit-and-run or cancerous cells."

He still didn't answer and she laughed. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're hard to hold a conversation with?" Beth remarked. Once again, her guest didn't answer but she could hear him sit in the chair across the sofa she sat on, so she shrugged and got drunker than she had ever been.

* * *

When Mika stopped reading the file, she noticed it was already dark out. She walked cautiously to her living room, but it was empty. He was gone... again.

Mixed feelings of relief and panic overcame her and she started calling out his name. She was in the process of putting on her shoes, when she felt a nudge from behind her. "Where are you going?" Raizo asked, that infuriating smirk on his face.

Mika decided that it was best to counter that with another question. "Where have you been?" she retorted, but that only resulted in making that smirk grow.

"Getting dinner," he answered, pressing a warm brown paper bag in Mika's hands. The scent was familiar and she looked in the bag. Chips and a hamburger. She turned around to Raizo, but he was with his back turned, getting a kettle and putting some noodles into a bowl of hers. "Do you have chopsticks?" he asked.

"Second drawer on your right," she answered flabbergasted and sat down on the table. Raizo placed a plate and some ketchup in front of her. She didn't thank him, but instead proceeded to place the ketchup next to her chips.

When his noodles were done, Raizo took the seat across from her and looked at her intensely. Mika pretended not to notice, but he wouldn't let her slide this easily. After a pregnant silence between the two, it was Raizo who broke it with two words she dreaded the worst.

"Let's talk."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Let's talk."

It has been God-knows-how-long Raizo said them, but neither of them made any attempt to speak. Raizo just sat there, observing her like a cat and Mika.. Well, she was cursing herself whenever she momentarily diverted her gaze to his lips, only catching herself when the corner pulled up slightly. "You know," Mika started, "when you say 'let's talk' you have to start."

Raizo now spotted a full smirk, as if he knew what was going on in her mind. Bloody bastard probably does, Mika thought repressing a sigh. "You are the one with something to say," he remarked and although he was right, Mika's felt that pit in her stomach opening up again.

" _I_ have something to say? Look, I'm not the one who declared we had to talk," she shot back, folding her arms over her chest and sitting back, "I'm fine with the way we are now."

"Denying it won't help Mika," he said, his voice low and calm. She couldn't help but shudder by the way he said her name, slightly lower and slower than he should. She told herself that it was from disgust, but not one cell in her body believed her.

"I'm _fine_ ," she insisted,"you say out of my way and I stay out of yours." She stood up and went to her bedroom, but before she even could turn the nob, Raizo's hand was on hers. Immediately, her stomach began to flutter and she thanked the lord that she wasn't prone to blushing due to her brown skin. "Let go," she breathed, but Raizo didn't budge. Instead, he came closer until she could hear his heart. Maybe it was the slightness of his movements or the fact that they've never been this close before, not upright anyway, but he stood a good 4 inches taller than she.

"I can tell when you're lying Mika," Raizo said, for the first time betraying some emotion when his cheeks heated up a little and his breath picked up. But, unlike Mika, he quickly got it under control and seemed to be his usual self.

"I said that I'm _fine_ ," Mika hissed, suprised over how... hostile she could sound. This wasn't her and she didn't want to sound so angry. Nevertheless, she looked him square in the eyes, shot him her best glare and hissed: "Let go."Raizo didn't budge for a long time, but eventually sighed and begrudgingly released his grip.

"I accept that you're not ready to talk about it yet," he said, calm as ever, "but we _will_ talk about it soon."

* * *

Beth unmistakably felt the cold steel of a knife at her throat. It was pressing on her skin hard enough that she could feel blood streaming down her neck and she waiting for him to finally slash it. It was stupid, but she was crying. It wasn't as if she didn't expect this. "Do you like torturing people?" she finally sobbed. Silence... of course. "You have to do your job, right? Just don't... toy with me."

"Shut up," a deep voice suddenly said, a small quiver the only sign of any turmoil. The surprise made Beth indeed shut up for the first time in her life. But the sobbing didn't stop and all she could do was count the seconds on her clock. After exactly 243 seconds, the pressure of the blade disappeared from her neck. He exclaimed some words which Beth recognized from her anime days. A chair was being pulled up and he sighed deeply. "Someone wants you dead," he remarked, while he pressed a cloth against her neck.

"I kind of figured that out. Seeing as I have a ninja in my living room," Beth muttered.

"Do you know anyone who wants you dead?" he asked and she replied that she didn't. He sighed again. "I have no choice. I have to protect you."

"Why?" Beth asked, even though it seemed stupid as soon as she uttered the question.

"Because the clan will want me dead too," he sighed, "might as well stick with you." Beth felt her cheeks heat up.

"What's your name?" Beth coughed, to mask her embarrassment. Once again, he didn't answer. "Come on, it's not like I don't know your here."

"Sho," he answered, "I'm Sho."

* * *

It was six in the morning and Mika really _really_ needed some strong liquor already. All night she was plagued by dreams of two obsidian eyes. She dreamed about how they met and how he had carried her in his arms after she got stabbed in the shoulder. She even, however briefly, dreamed of the small kiss she gave him when he was injured. As a result, she laid wide awake and staring at the ceiling. Maybe I should take a shower, she thought, sighing and starting to undress herself.

"Still not a size 34 I see," a voice rang out from the darkness. Mika whipped around as quick as she could, covering her bared chest with her t-shirt. Raizo came out the darkness, like a panther stalking, gracefully and dangerous, until they were chest to chest. He, however, had his eyes fixed on the healed wound, which barely peeped out under the t-shirt. Mika felt more embarrassed about that than about the fact that she was standing in front of him in her underwear. He lifted his hand, but dropped it at the last moment before touching the scar. Instead he brought his face to her and smirked. "Mika, Mika, Mika, didn't I tell you to always turn on the lights?"

* * *

Mika quickly rushed to her office and locked the door once again, even though knowing that it wouldn't help one bit. At least Raizo, or mister Takeru as she had to call him while she was at work, was kept busy by agent Blumenthal show-boating his masculinity. She sighed and got Carr's file. Mika had no idea how many times she had read it in the hope of finding something new and involuntarily her mind flashed back to ten years ago. We were so good, Mika reminisced while she took a picture of her friends, ten years ago. She couldn't help but smile at her neon-coloured dreads and cyberpunk get-up. Amanda stood next to her, sporting her geek glasses and braces, smiling widely in the camera.

Her eyes fell on the light-brown man behind her. "How are you doing Jack?" she muttered, "Where are you now? Still busy with your quest for justice?" She laughed softly. "I'm fine by the way. Just being driven mad by a man I fancy. I'm still angry at him though, and you know how I get when I am angry. Listen Jack, Amanda is dead. Maybe it means nothing but..." she paused and sighed. "Just where ever you are, just stay safe."

* * *

Although not one to act out of anger, Raizo was ready to punch the pompous agent in the face. For the past half hour, the man was telling how to train and look good, rather than briefing him on the case. The orange glow of agent Blumenthal's skin reminded him of the crisps he found in Mika's cabinet. "...but you have to train at least five times a week for three hours if you want to be as strong as me. Or as popular with the ladies," the man said, giving Raizo a condescending sideways glance. "but on second thought, maybe the latter doesn't apply to you."

Raizo quirked up a brow, but didn't respond. Instead, his eyes fell on a familiar woman sitting in a small office, looking with a melancholic smile at what he assumed was a photo. He wondered what was on that and felt, in a moment of insanity, jealous of the little piece of paper so lovingly placed in her hands. She had slightly changed since the big fight. Her hair was slightly lighter than it used to be and although he had just teased her about it this morning, she did lose quite some weight.

Blumenthal, however, seemed oblivious. He was still flexing his muscles and making stupid comments, hinting that he was 'perfectly fine if he liked dudes.' He also made a few remarks on how he, Blumenthal, would soon snag Mika. Talking about her as if she was an object to be coveted. Raizo understood that he couldn't kill anyone while undercover, but he wondered whether it would be such a disaster if the ass of an agent would sustain a couple of injuries.

His eyes landed on the a guy handing over a familiar letter to Mika. His stomach clenched as she opened it. A black feather fell out of it, fluttering almost weightlessly until it landed on her desk. He knew what it meant, but she stared slightly confused at the seemingly innocent object.

Her eyes searched his and when she saw the shocked look on his face, though it quickly was covered up with a solemn one, she knew what it meant.

Ninja's.

And strangely her only thought was: 'not again.'


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **Thank you for reading this story. I really appreciate it. But still, since I'm busy doing other stuff as well, I can't really update regularly. I'm sorry.**

* * *

It has been a long time since Ryan Maslow started working at Europol. He remembered he was just a lad, aged 20, and he was full of dreams of catching international criminals. Years of filling out forms and waiting for okays decapitated his dreams. But eight months ago, he had the case he'd always dreamed of.

Didn't they say be careful what you wish for?

He almost lost, not only his best agent, but also a woman he had begun to consider his best friend, but also having to work with an infuriatingly skilled man who not only caused the almost death of his best friend, but also fancied said friend. Eight months ago, he lost a lot of good men as well. And while it did mean a promotion for the both of them, he'd never want to go through something like that again.

But faith had a way of fucking you over.

And another ninja death threat landed on Mika's desk.

"Why is it always you?" he asked her.

"It's not like I do it on purpose," Mika muttered, "maybe there is something about me that attracts ninja's?" Ryan's eyes flashed quickly to Raizo, and at once he didn't doubt that. Although the man was tense and nigh-unreadable, ready to attack anyone who'd try anything, the way he carried himself around the woman screamed louder than any confession. Raizo would touch her whenever he could, within the bounds of appropriateness, or stand closer to her than was necessary without invading her personal space. He hung like a shadow around her, close enough to be seen by her, but not close enough to be noticed.

Ryan, though scared (not that he'd ever admit it), felt some pity for the man. He had known Mika for three years now. The woman was very aware about her own attractiveness, but had no idea that other people could think that too. She was about as easy to flirt as a brick wall.

"Do you know the clan?" Mika asked Raizo, who moved a little closer to her.

"Feathers are the sign of the Nobu clan," he answered, his voice merely a whisper, "They are- well, were- the second biggest clan. I heard that they have been growing since Ozunu was..." He struggled to find the right phrase.

"Blown to bits?" Mika suggested and Raizo shrugged, gesturing that that was an adequate explanation.

"But why Mika _again_?" Ryan mused and looked up. Mika was shifting uncomfortably in her chair and Ryan exchanged glances with Raizo. It was strange behaviour for someone who was always relatively calm in stressful situations, even if they involved tremendous pressure.

"Mika, tell us," Raizo commanded and some anger and defiance coloured her embarrassment.

"Mika, that is an order," Ryan interjected before she could say something to him. He hated playing his position over hers, but sometimes it was necessary.

"Fine," she huffed, "okay, so you both are aware that I'm technically cyber unit right?"

Raizo quirked up an eyebrow but Ryan could feel his mouth drop open. "That's news to me," Ryan admitted sheepishly.

"Bloody hell, Ryan! Why do you think I have so many computers in my office!" Mika exclaimed, but soon straightened herself out. She was aware that Raizo was watching her and felt oddly ashamed of outburst. _Damn that man!_ "Anyway, I wasn't always on this side of the law."

* * *

"So where are we going," Beth asked, listening to the several plains taking off. Sho sat close to her, like a shield ready to be used. He didn't answer. "Am I going to need my bikini, because it's been a while since I last wore one. Been a while since I shaved too. I'd probably look ridiculous if I'd put one on. You'd tell me if I look ridiculous, right?"

Again, no answer.

"You know, you could help me feeling more calm. By conversation, for example," she told him.

"You're not supposed to feel calm," he said, "You're supposed to be ready to run any moment."

Beth dropped her head, replying with a little "Oh" and falling silent.

Then, for a small instant, a smooth deep laugh came from the man next to her. The sound was so pleasant to her that her heart fluttered. Sho moved even closer to her, his breath fanning her skin and his lips brushing her ear. Her stomach tightened and she had to try not to giggle like a schoolgirl. "And yes, I would tell you if you'd look ridiculous," he whispered.

"W-where are we going?" she quipped up, cursing her voice as it cracked. Sho leaned back again.

"Berlin," Sho answered, "I heard of a ninja who escaped the Ozunu clan and the only lead I got about him, was that he was somehow tied to this woman there."

"Are you supposed to be telling me this here?" Beth whispered and now leaned in closer to him. It was now his turn to be flushed. Beth could swear that she felt his temperature pick up.

"They're not here yet," Sho said, his voice higher than usual. He coughed. "I would know if they are."

"Oh okay," Beth said and straightened, "what's the name of the woman?"

"Mika Coretti."

Beth whipped around, somehow slightly forgetting that she was blind. Now that was a name she hadn't heard in a long time.

* * *

 **Eight years ago**

Mika plucked a small speck of dust from her neon-yellow loc, watching her computer screen. Jack had asked her to break into this computer of a news editor and she, as always, had happily obliged. If she were honest with herself, she felt a little guilty doing this. Yes, she had a knack for hacking. Yes, it wasn't as if she was doing something that was completely illegal. But still...

But then again. Jack said that it was all for a bigger goal. That with her talents, she could make the world a little bit better. That she could save children like her.

Mika was one of the lucky ones, she knew that. After five years in foster care, with guardians who could care less about the children and more about the money they got, she was finally reunited with her family. Her grandma from her father's side, an Italian woman with an affinity for putting pasta in the strangest of places, and her immediate next of kin on her mother's side, immediately took her in. After five years, she never had to feel hungry again, would never be beaten again.

But that wasn't the issue. Mika couldn't count how many times she tried to tell her caseworker and how many times she was laughed at. Even if she would show the bruises, they just listened to the grown-ups. It was then that she learned that those people always had each other's back. And she wasn't the only kid there.

It was Jack that gave her the chance to retaliate against such a broken system. She liked how passionate he was about it. She liked how he cared. And eventually, she came to realise that she liked him.

Jack was her boyfriend. Even though they had been dating for a couple of months now, she still felt a little strange saying that. After all, this was a first for her and Jack was her first everything. The first time she said 'I love you' to someone other than her family. The first time she kissed. The first time she made love. And, although it took a few tries, the first time they made love the right way.

She looked up, as if on cue, and smiled. Speak of the devil, she thought. "Hey babe," Jack muttered, wearing his signature Doc's and punk-ish outfit. He kissed her on the lips, slipping his tongue in her mouth. She reciprocated as well as she could, pressing her body against him and letting the flutters in her stomach take over her entire body. They ignored the gagging sound their friends made.

"You two should get a room," Beth said as soon as Jack broke the kiss. Mika rolled her eyes. Besides Mika, Beth was the only other person coming from foster care. Unlike Mika though, she looked unassuming. Her skin was just as brown as Mika's but she didn't have temporary tatts and fake piercings sprawled around it. Her hair was short and relaxed, creating a perfect frame for a perfect heart-shaped face. Mika hated to admit it, but she was jealous of Beth, who was one of those infuriating girls that could wear Paddington nighties and still attract the attention of every boy in a 10 mile radius.

Except Jack. He was always honest and never cheated. Mika was sure of it. "When it's done running the sequence, can you fill in these codes?" he asked, dumping a previously unnoticed stack of paper on her desk. She gulped.

"Y-yeah, sure," Mika replied, trying to shrug it off. It felt bad, messing with the newspaper, but at least they weren't hurting anyone.

"Thanks babe," Jack said, and kissed her hard, before disappearing again in what he calls his office.

"It's really nice of Jack to date you," a sharp voice remarked. Mika whipped around, towards Amanda, who was busy inspecting her nails. "Even with all of this, he still finds some time to do charity work."

Mika looked at her fishnet-clad thighs, not even really sure why. Before Jack started dating Mika, Amanda was her best friend. The two where as night and day. Amanda looked like a typical nerd from a privileged background. Frizziy hair and spotty, red skin, with chewed nails, the two bonded over their mutual love for computers and cute boys. That is, until a couple of months ago. Amanda never made it really clear that she liked Jack, but it had to be. What else could it be?

Seeing that she wouldn't get a reaction out of Mika soon, Amanda gathered her papers and went to the office. But not before whispering, "stupig slag," before leaving.

Mika let out a breath. She never liked a confrontation with Amanda and was thankful it wasn't long. Still hating that she wasn't able to come up with something witty, she started to work on the codes.

* * *

Eight hours later, she was in and fed the codes to the program. It took only a moment compared to getting actually into the computer. _Strange that a journalist would have so much security._ She shrugged it off though. Maybe it was one of those paranoid people.

After a while she typed in the last digits. She expected to see the logo of the Sun or the Daily mail, both shit newspapers that could use a lesson. But the graphics that appeared instead, made her heart drop.

Everyone knew what that stood for. Everyone knew what the lion and the crown meant.

Mi-5. Mi-fucking-5.

Mika must've broken at that moment, looking back. All she could think was: _he lied to me. He fucking lied to me._

"Bloody shit-fuck," she heard Beth say from behind. In a flash, not thinking, Mika took the codes and ran to Jack's office. She heard one of his cronies warn her not to go in, but she punched him in the face with the enormous stack of paper. It hit his jaw with a satisfying crack and he fell to the ground unconscious.

She kicked the door open as hard as she could.

The sight she saw would've made her heart drop once again, if it wasn't so tragically funny. There, on the couch that she picked out for this place, laid her former best friend doing the spread-eagle with Mika's boyfriend on top.

A cold, sharp laugh rang through the room. It took Mika a while to realise that it was hers. Jack jumped of off Amanda, who straightened with a smug smile. "Mika, babe, it's-" he started, but Mika didn't give him the chance.

"I don't care about that," she lied, impressed how strong and certain her voice sounded. She flung the papers with the codes at his head. "You asked me to hack fucking Mi-5! Bloody hell, Jack! Do you want me to hack the KGB next or are you going to save that for another day?"

"Mika, listen-" Jack started, in that disgusting tone of his that would always convince you to see his point.

"No Jack, this is wrong and you know it!" she interrupted. Jack stalked closer to her, his body menacingly towering over hers.

"You want out?" he whispered. Mika shuddered. She knew what was going to happen. But it couldn't go on like this any longer. Her friends, ex-friends, were also stalking closer. Mika could only hope that they would spare her a little, try not to break something. Every muscle in her body went taut with frightened anticipation.

"Yeah," she answered, swallowing a few times to keep her mouth from drying out, "I want out."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everyone, it's been a while. I'm sorry I haven't been updating. I swear I meant to do it in the summer, but before I realised it school was already starting.**

 **If you're still with me, thank you for your patience.**

 **Also from now on- SPOILER ALERT.**

 **There hasn't been a lot of action yet, but there'll be ninjas soon. I also plan to unleash Mika's full hacker abilities. And that all in the next chapter. I'll be fanatically writing coming fortnight (I'm sorry, I've been reading P &P) so I hope to have two chapters ready. **

**Greetings,**

 **ff94**

* * *

"You hacked Mi-5?" Ryan asked, his tone indicating that he was both stunned and impressed. Honestly, Mika couldn't blame him. She felt exactly the same way when she was still a teenager.

"Yes," Mika confirmed, once more.

"As a teenager?"

"Yes."

"You're good," Ryan admitted, but Mika snorted. She was more than good. She may now be little more than a glorified librarian, but that didn't mean she didn't possess over some serious skills. Ryan sighed and turned to Raizo, who had been eerily silent during this whole ordeal. "You know what to do, right?"

"Yes," he answered, moving even closer to Mika. She had to fight running either away or towards him. He looked straight at her, and she, idiot that she was, returned the favour. At once she was lost. Mika had forgotten how piercing his eyes could be, something she was briefly reminded of last night. But that was only a fraction of how captivating they could be. Now, he was in full control. She hated to admit this, but if he said one word, she'd be naked and ready.

But, then again, Mika was supposed to be _angry_ at him.

She turned away. Raizo wasn't nearly as apologetic as she had initially hoped. Mika knew that he wasn't the type to beg for forgiveness (although she'd like to see him try) but he never even really said sorry for abandoning her.

Ryan stood up. "Right, I'm going to leave you two alone for now. See what counter tactic I can come up with," he said,"please, try not to break anything."

"Probably just wants to light a fag," Mika muttered, more meant for herself than for Raizo.

"Yes, most likely," he said, turning to her. She swallowed, and while he knew the situation was dire, Raizo felt a predatory smile form on his lips. "I have to be with you now, like your shadow." It was unfair, he knew, but he loved seeing the expression such remarks gave her. Slightly startled, full lips parting, pondering the hidden meaning behind his words, before it was covered up with anger and a cold tone of professionalism. It was a glimmer of hope that Mika maybe, just maybe, could find it in her heart to forgive him for whatever she accused him of.

"Let's just go home," she said, "I'm taking the rest of the day off." She stood up and left, with Raizo following close behind. He was expertly scanning the room, she noticed, while somehow keeping his focus on her as well. She'd seen something like that, eight months ago, when he was chained to a wall.

He planted his hand firm on her hip as they made way through the office. She knew it was necessary, to guide her in the direction he wanted her to go and she knew there were a lot more intimate or rough ways that he could've done that, but it send the butterflies in a frenzy anyways. "I think we'll be fine for some time," Raizo commented, "at least until it gets dark." Yet his hand never strayed from her side.

"We could have lunch?" Mika suggested and immediately mentally kicking herself. This was Raizo they were talking about. A highly trained ninja. Just because she saw him eating once, didn't mean that it was a regular occurrence for him. For all she knew, he could go weeks without food.

Her suspicions about him not needing food were confirmed when he didn't answer. "So, what are we going to do now?" Mika muttered, once again not expecting an answer.

"To your apartment," Raizo said, surprising Mika, "We need to keep moving, but I don't want to shop for you again. You'll probably lie to me, and I don't want to undress you and force you in a larger size."

If there was a time she was glad to have brown skin, unable to blush as furiously, it was now. Sure, Raizo probably would notice her heartbeat pick up and her temperature rise, but at least she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of coral-coloured cheeks. "I would go shopping with you, this time," Mika tried to retort, but her trembling voice made her argument weak.

Raizo glanced at her, briefly and unnoticeable, before electric currents shot through his body as the deeper meaning of his earlier words dawned on him. He was by no means innocent, but for him intimacy never stood in relation with any sort of feeling other than a will to complete a mission. His experience with women, or men if the situation called for it, was always followed by one of his brothers or himself ending a life. The last time he was intimate with someone other than a target was followed by disastrous consequences.

But he couldn't deny that he had thought about it, fantasised during long nights when he was alone. Mika had always been the subject of his figments. Sometimes they were quick flashes, but the times when it really scared him where long, drawn-out dreams about him making love to her, as his lover or his wife. He didn't have time for that and it would place a permanent target on Mika's back. He couldn't take the risk. He'd rather she was mad at him, gazing at him with murderous intent or disgust, and alive.

But, despite he knew it was impossible, the fantasies never let up.

* * *

They continued their ride in silence. Both knew that they had to talk soon, if not about what happened eight months earlier, then about the tension between them. But neither of them found the courage.

Arriving at the apartment, the silence still hadn't let up. They crawled into the lift, the small cubicle setting Mika practically on fire.

"About what happened, you know..." Mika said, breaking the thick silence and surprising herself.

"Yes," Raizo said, pretending to inspect the ceiling for ninjas, fully knowing there were none right now.

"Where did you go?"

It took a long time for Raizo to answer. He was trying to explain, feeling like he was treading a mine field. "I was... It's complicated," he told her languidly, "The Ozunu clan is- was not only confined within those walls. I had to stop the other ninjas from taking revenge or re-instating the clan."

"You killed them," Mika understood.

"It was necessary. But that wasn't all of it though. I failed someone..." Raizo's face softened, his eyes staring at nothing in particular. "I figured that I'd do what she couldn't. At least just once."

"Who was she?"

Raizo laughed. "What makes you so sure that they were a 'she'?"

"What else could it be?" Mika said, shrugging with forced indifference.

"Her name was Kiriko," Raizo answered, in a way that invited no further questions. "I had to go, it was my duty," Raizo added, "I won't apologise for that."

"I don't want you to," Mika said, "not for doing what you had to do." She startled when the ping of the elevator indicated they reached their destination. "But you could've let me know. I don't know, I guess after all we've been through, I thought you trusted me more than this."

It was an admission they both didn't expect and continued their way in even more silence. But then, out of nowhere, Raizo pulled Mika forcefully behind him and pulled out his Kyogetsu-shoge, his muscles alert. "How the bloody hell did you do that?" Raizo didn't respond.

He swiftly kicked the door open, making splinters fly. His knife shot towards a far corner in the apartment, but instead a soft thud, the unmistakable clang of metal. Mika quickly dashed towards the light switch and flicked it on. A black figure quickly shot towards her,holding out a hand, not a knife. But Raizo wouldn't have any of it. He lunged at the figure, pushing Mika out the way. She fell against a cupboard, just before Raizo planted the blade the unknown figure, just short of killing him. He collapsed on the ground, groaning.

Someone gasped and Mika whipped around. The door had opened and sitting in fetal position, a very familiar woman was crying. "Stop!" Mika called out and Raizo's blade halted mid-air, but she turned around to the crying girl.

"Beth, it's me," Mika soothed, crawling closer.

"M-Mika?" Beth sobbed and stumbled out of the cupboard, towards the groaning figure, "S-Sho, are you..? Is he dying?"

Raizo raised an eyebrow. "He'll live," Raizo mumbled, "He's inexperienced, but tough."

Sho moved, so he could look up to Raizo. "I hate you," he concluded, void of any emotion. Raizo smirked, displaying an unusual amount of cockiness, even for him.

"I didn't know where we were," Beth murmered, "Sho heard someone coming and next-" She didn't finish her sentence, but shrugged, cheeks still wet.

"Why are you here?" Mika asked, slightly less worried now that Beth seemed okay... Well, almost. "And since when are you blind?"

"Since ocular melanoma got to me," Beth answered, "right after you left." A pang of guilt made Mika's stomach churn. "Don't worry about it, I get why you- well, basically disappeared," Beth said, as if she could read Mika's mind, "I should've gone with you."

"You should've," Mika agreed, helping her up. She gestured for Raizo to do the same, but he just let the poor boy lay where he was.

"Yeah, there are more fun things than trying to find your way home half blind and freshly beaten in a bloody pulp," Beth remarked, pulling out a cane from her high boots.

"What does she mean," Raizo asked, suddenly very close.

"We-well," Mika stuttered, her voice suddenly raspy. She coughed. "To leave the group, they beat you up and drop you off somewhere. You have to find your way home yourself."Raizo nodded. He of all people knew that leaving a group, a family like that, had consequences. But it didn't mean that he looked particularly happy about it.

"Anyway," Beth continued, "I come home one day from work and I find him in the corner, lurking and ready to kill me."

"But I didn't," Sho grunted, sitting up and his wounds reduced to scratches.

"He didn't," Beth repeated as if that statement needed anymore conformation.

"So ninjas are after you too," Mika mused.

"You don't sound all too shaken up about it," Beth remarked.

Raizo sighed. "That's because it's hardly the first time."

* * *

Later that evening, Mika and Raizo were sitting on the couch, while they let Beth and Sho occupy the bedroom. Beth nearly demanded it, seeing as Raizo almost killed her friend.

"So, about that conversation earlier," Mika gingerly ventured. Raizo said nothing. "I understand why you disappeared. And why you didn't tell me. I guess one adventure doesn't make us friends."

Raizo looked at her, in that familiar way that took her back all the way when they first met. "No, you're right," he eventually decided, an admission that was both heavy for them to hear out loud. "I should've trusted you. I'm sorry."

Mika smiled. "Friends?"

"Friends."


End file.
